


Lady of the Rivers

by TaleWeaver



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: AU: Lady lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Consensual Underage Sex, F/M, Pagan Gods, Virgin Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 12:55:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15510354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaleWeaver/pseuds/TaleWeaver
Summary: When Sansa was 11, she heard the river's song and became the heir to Riverrun.  When Sansa was 13, her bastard brother brought her a direwolf pup and stayed to become her sworn shield. When Sansa is 15, she must ask the river for the power to defeat her enemies, and Jon is the only one she can trust to help her give the river what it asks for in return.Written for jonsasmut's summer 2018 event.  Day 2: Virgin Territory.





	Lady of the Rivers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Queenofthebees](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queenofthebees/gifts).



> Gifted to QueenoftheBees, because she's given us all so much awesome fic. As she's the heart of the Virgin!Jon movement in jonsa fanfic, I thought this might be appropriate tribute.

_When Sansa was eleven, Edmure Tully died without wife or child, ending the male line of the Tullys.  The line of succession came to Catelyn, as the eldest child remaining - or rather, to her children.  The laws of holding, set down by Aegon the Conqueror, stated that no Lord Paramount can hold more than one territory; Robb must be bound to Winterfell alone._

Sansa idolised elegant ladies, not fighting men like the boys and Arya, but she was perfectly happy to admit that she was very impressed by her Great-Uncle Brynden, the Blackfish. 

Mother had been astonished to see him - apparently he'd been serving Aunt Lysa in the Vale, as the Knight of the Bloody Gate, ever since Robert's Rebellion.  Mother had looked just a little comforted when he told her he'd come home to help whichever one of the Stark children became heir to Riverrun, given that Grandfather was bedridden at least half the time.

 "But why did all of us have to come here?" Sansa asked him.  "It's not that I'm not glad to see Riverrun and meet you and Grandfather, of course.  But Bran's the second son.  If Robb can't inherit, then doesn't it go to him?" 

The Blackfish looked at her solemnly.  "When it comes to a situation like this, we find it's best to let the river have her say.  That's why you're **all**  here.  There's an old saying in House Tully: The river nourishes her Lords, but it's her daughters that she loves."

Sansa wasn't sure whether to be excited or terrified at the prospect.  If she was named heir, she would become a Lady in her own right, and she'd get to live in the South, just as she had always dreamed.  But she also remembered the way her father hugged them all before they set off, and the realisation hit her like a blow: if she was named heir, it woud be years, if ever, before she saw her family again. Arya will undoubtedly be happy at the prospect, but what of her mother and father? Who will be her knight if not Robb?  Who will snuggle with her in the library while they read if not sweet Bran, and Rickon's just two – she will never get to see him grow.

They've all come to the bank of the Red Fork, for the trial Great Uncle Brynden had told them about.  Robb can't participate, of course, but at least he'll be able to comfort Mother while the three of them go swimming in the river.  Rickon won't be tested unless she, Bran and Arya are all rejected. 

Sansa wasn't sure whether to look at Arya or Bran or not as they all undressed - her and Arya to their shifts, and Bran to smallclothes.  One by one, they stepped onto the dock, then jumped into the water with a splash.  Arya immediately started swimming for the far bank, bobbing and swirling with the fiercest currents.  Bran struck out a few feet then trod water, looking under the surface of the river around him with interest.  Sansa found a calm part of the river, out of the main currents, and laid back into the water's embrace, floating.

 The rushing of the river was almost musical, like the rippling notes of a gittern.  Underneath it was a sweeter, higher note, not quite like a harp. Sansa floated and listened, until her Uncle Brynden's voice cut through the music.

"Time to come in, younglings!" he shouted.

Bran nodded and climbed onto the shore with a hand from Robb, and Arya pouted and started to swim back.

Sansa pleaded, "Must we?  Can't I stay in and listen to the river singing for just a little longer?"

It wasn't Uncle Bryden's proud and approving smile that told her she'd just passed the trial.  It was the look of helpless horror on her mother's face that told Sansa that she was now the heir to Riverrun.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you go to my tumblr (nessataleweaver) you can find the title page graphic I made for this story. (can't seem to get it to show up here)  
> https://nessataleweaver.tumblr.com/post/176483527976/lady-of-the-rivers


End file.
